San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-01-25
CHAPTER XIV.

/ hope | shall never have another
such experience. 1t was too terrible
Watching and caring for madwOman
must be bad enough; this was worse.
Strange to say, the hapless lady took a
fancy to me. Looking at her, so
changed, so repellent, could not be-
lieve that she would be the same at
tractive woman again. But Martha
said YES" in day or two she would
recover herself, and no one on seeing
her would have the least suspicion.
This was the worst and longest fit she
had ever had.
There were times when she knew me,
and times when she did not.
"You are Miss Chester" she said to
me. Il like Miss Chester-a sweet face
and beautiful voice. Have they told
you about me?"
'They have told me that you are very
ill, and l am here to help you to get bet
ter"
~ shall never get better" she said,
and that was the most sober and sensi-
BILE interval she had.
AT times she would cling to me wild
ly, crying out that l must get some
thing for her; that they were keeping
her there in prison, trying to starvc
her. Horrible paroxysms.
Poor Mark This was the end of all
his hOnors, happiness and ambitionl
How | thought of him! How | pitied
himl How longed to comfort himl
1t seemed to me that never had a life
been so cursed.
Lady Severne did not improve. The
visitors were beginning to feel anxious.
Lady Yorke was beset with inquiries.
Was she really so i'll that she could see
no one? Why not have a doctor? A
feverish cold did not last all this time.
Was Lady YOrke sure there was moth
nothing infectiOus-quite sure? 1t was
strange thing. Lady YOrke was at a
loss how to parry such inquiries.
II wish they would CO." she said to
me; II am quite sure it will be found
out"
Yet she, as well as /, saw how impos-
sible it was to remove Lady Severne
just at present.
One night l was very tired, and had
gone earlier than usual to my room. 1t
was fatigue that made me forget to
fasten my door. Worn out with sor-
row and dismay-grief about Lady Sc
verne, distress for Lady Yorke, and
sorrow inexpressible for Mark-I fell
into deep, dreamless sleep.
was awakened by the consciousness
that some one had stealthily entered
my room, and was trying to find me. l
am courageous by nature. If a thief
had disturbed me l should have felt no
fear, but this was no thief. A thick,
muffied, hoarse voice whispered, ''Miss
Chester" Then / felt the heat of a
fevered breath on my face, and / knew
that Lady Severne was there.
rose hastily and turned up my lamp.
A crouching, horrible figure was cling
ing to me. / could hardly believe that
this was the beautiful Lady Severne,
who held all men enthralled by her
charms.
"You must get up" she said. "You
are the only person in this house who
is kind to me. You must get up and
fetch me bottle of brandy. / must
have it."
1t would be better, thought, to take
her bottle of poison.
II must have it." she continued. II
mean to have it. know what is going
on, although / am shut up. know
proud, refined Lady Yorke would not
like her household raised during the
dead of night by one of her guests
clamoring for something to drink. She
would not like it; but if you do not
give me what 1 want, 1 will beat the
doors down, l will stand in the hall and
scream till the whole house is raised"
A pretty dilemmal A nice visitorl /
thought to myself; but did not let her
see my dismay.
"Where is Martha?" 1 asked, won
dering how she had escaped, and thank
full beyond all words that she was here
with me in the Queens wing" rather
than in the western tower with the Wis
itOrs.
Lady Severne laughed, and I think
that laugh was the most horrible sound
~-'"r heard in my life.